Dahab, Egypt is maybe not the first place that comes to mind when planning a holiday, but its natural beauty and the warmth of the locals makes it a very attractive proposition.
Situated on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula, it is dwarfed by its more illustrious neighbour, Sharm El Sheikh. In fact compared to its bigger brother it is lacking the grand all-inclusive hotels, the restaurants and night clubs.
However, what it attracts is a dedicated following from across the world. An energetic, enigmatic and excitement-seeking group of scuba-divers who prefer life 20-meters underwater than on land; and it is gradually growing to entertain those who are less inclined to swim with the fishes!
The Red Sea contains some of the most popular dive sites in the world. The range of fish, coral and other sea life is breathtakingly stunning. The contrast between the vast spectrum of colours under the sea, and the arid, harsh landscape which dominates the horizon in Dahab is remarkable.
It is quite astonishing, with an average temperature in the summer months of 33C (91F), just how different the under-water world is to the deserts and mountains of south Sinai, despite their proximity.
As a consequence, Dahab is fast becoming one of Egypt's worst kept secrets. The diving community has created a bustling community of hotel, restaurants and sea-side bars which are all geared towards their favourite past-time. Furthermore, with the economic recession causing a lot of holidays in the Mediterranean and Europe to fall out of people's price ranges, Dahab can be enjoyed on a student's budget.
'The Blue Hole' is Dahab's most famous dive site, and arguably the best in the Red Sea. It is reached by a 15-minute jeep ride from the town centre, with entry into the deep-blue water just a few meters from the rocky shore. A wall of hard-coral creates the hole which drops to 100-meters in places, which is dominated by colour and the dazzling variety of life including Red Sea Anemone, Triggerfish, Surgeonfish, all kinds of Groupers and Parrotfish lurking amongst many others.
However a more spectacular entrance is from 'The Bells'. A few minutes walk along the coast, divers drop down individually into a narrow channel, before exiting at 30-meters and following a sheer wall. The reef is almost vertical at this point and best enjoyed at about 15-meters - with the drop going down 770-meters further.
Despite being an Islamic country, Dahab has developed with its tourist trade, and alcohol is readily available. There are a number of hotels which have licences, and for those who don't, they are often more than happy to cool beers you buy from one of the off-licences in their fridges. As well as this, there are a number of bars, and a growing night-life in the town centre.
The Egyptian food is gorgeous. Its influences replicating its geographical location by picking from Mediterranean, North African and Middle-Eastern cuisine. Couscous, chicken towock and freshly-caught seafood are just some of the local delicacies.
However, beware of the overly pushy restaurant owners who try and coax tourists into their restaurants. As a guide, the more pushy, the worse the food and the more overly priced it is.
The majority of hotels are also dive-centres, with the Hilton's and other all-inclusives located out of town and to be avoided unless you want to remain confined to the walls of your chosen residence.
'Dive-Urge' is run by an English/Egyptian couple, who have built from the ground a very comfortable, friendly and enjoyable place to stay. At rooms ranging from £25-a-night on a bed-and-breakfast basis, it is very reasonably priced; and coupled with fantastic hotel and dive staff is highly recommended.
There are a number of day trips in and around the town. Numerous camel trips are available to dive sites, or just along the sea fronts, as well as quad biking at the foot of the mountains being particularly popular. One can also enjoy dinner in the company of the Bedouins up in one of their mountainous villages.
Dahab is a fantastic holiday destination, and without doubt, whether you dive or not, it is definitely worth a visit. With many things to do, and without breaking the bank, it is refreshing to visit such a location before it has been infected by the multi-national corporations which bloat the natural landscapes of many a resort.
Situated on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula, it is dwarfed by its more illustrious neighbour, Sharm El Sheikh. In fact compared to its bigger brother it is lacking the grand all-inclusive hotels, the restaurants and night clubs.
However, what it attracts is a dedicated following from across the world. An energetic, enigmatic and excitement-seeking group of scuba-divers who prefer life 20-meters underwater than on land; and it is gradually growing to entertain those who are less inclined to swim with the fishes!
The Red Sea contains some of the most popular dive sites in the world. The range of fish, coral and other sea life is breathtakingly stunning. The contrast between the vast spectrum of colours under the sea, and the arid, harsh landscape which dominates the horizon in Dahab is remarkable.
It is quite astonishing, with an average temperature in the summer months of 33C (91F), just how different the under-water world is to the deserts and mountains of south Sinai, despite their proximity.
As a consequence, Dahab is fast becoming one of Egypt's worst kept secrets. The diving community has created a bustling community of hotel, restaurants and sea-side bars which are all geared towards their favourite past-time. Furthermore, with the economic recession causing a lot of holidays in the Mediterranean and Europe to fall out of people's price ranges, Dahab can be enjoyed on a student's budget.
'The Blue Hole' is Dahab's most famous dive site, and arguably the best in the Red Sea. It is reached by a 15-minute jeep ride from the town centre, with entry into the deep-blue water just a few meters from the rocky shore. A wall of hard-coral creates the hole which drops to 100-meters in places, which is dominated by colour and the dazzling variety of life including Red Sea Anemone, Triggerfish, Surgeonfish, all kinds of Groupers and Parrotfish lurking amongst many others.
However a more spectacular entrance is from 'The Bells'. A few minutes walk along the coast, divers drop down individually into a narrow channel, before exiting at 30-meters and following a sheer wall. The reef is almost vertical at this point and best enjoyed at about 15-meters - with the drop going down 770-meters further.
Despite being an Islamic country, Dahab has developed with its tourist trade, and alcohol is readily available. There are a number of hotels which have licences, and for those who don't, they are often more than happy to cool beers you buy from one of the off-licences in their fridges. As well as this, there are a number of bars, and a growing night-life in the town centre.
The Egyptian food is gorgeous. Its influences replicating its geographical location by picking from Mediterranean, North African and Middle-Eastern cuisine. Couscous, chicken towock and freshly-caught seafood are just some of the local delicacies.
However, beware of the overly pushy restaurant owners who try and coax tourists into their restaurants. As a guide, the more pushy, the worse the food and the more overly priced it is.
The majority of hotels are also dive-centres, with the Hilton's and other all-inclusives located out of town and to be avoided unless you want to remain confined to the walls of your chosen residence.
'Dive-Urge' is run by an English/Egyptian couple, who have built from the ground a very comfortable, friendly and enjoyable place to stay. At rooms ranging from £25-a-night on a bed-and-breakfast basis, it is very reasonably priced; and coupled with fantastic hotel and dive staff is highly recommended.
There are a number of day trips in and around the town. Numerous camel trips are available to dive sites, or just along the sea fronts, as well as quad biking at the foot of the mountains being particularly popular. One can also enjoy dinner in the company of the Bedouins up in one of their mountainous villages.
Dahab is a fantastic holiday destination, and without doubt, whether you dive or not, it is definitely worth a visit. With many things to do, and without breaking the bank, it is refreshing to visit such a location before it has been infected by the multi-national corporations which bloat the natural landscapes of many a resort.
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